Morgan Stanley's Federal Lobbying Record
At $12.3M in disclosed federal lobbying, Morgan Stanley ranks as a major spender — well above the typical filer. Outlays in this range generally reflect a sustained presence in Washington, with at least one full-time government affairs lead and a stable of outside lobbyists engaged on the organization's priority issues.
Across the 5-year window from 2020 to 2024, Morgan Stanley's annual disclosed lobbying spend has climbed modestly — from $2.3M in 2020 to $2.7M in 2024, a change of +15%. Step-changes of this size often coincide with major bills moving through Congress, regulatory rulemakings affecting the organization's industry, or a leadership change in the relevant committee.
Morgan Stanley's disclosed lobbying focuses on a narrow 4-issue footprint. A focused issue list usually means the organization concentrates its federal engagement on a small set of bills or rulemakings directly relevant to its core business.
1 of 8 lobbyists reported by Morgan Stanley (13%) disclose prior federal government service — a small minority of the named bench.
Among the named bench, lobbyists with disclosed prior federal service include Frederick H. Graefe (Former Legislative Director, Senate HELP Committee). The covered-position field on LDA cover sheets captures executive-branch and senior congressional roles held within the prior two years.
Within the Finance & Banking sector, Morgan Stanley ranks #7 of 27 tracked organizations by disclosed lobbying spend. The sector leader is American Bankers Association at $43.0M; the sector average is $11.3M. Morgan Stanley's $12.3M sits 9% above the sector average.
Morgan Stanley's LobbySpend Influence Score of 48/100 (grade C) is the most common grade in the index — it covers organizations with established but moderate federal advocacy programs. The score combines disclosed total spend (40%), issue breadth (30%), and revolving-door connections (30%). A C-grade is typical of mid-size corporations and trade associations with steady quarterly filings on a focused issue set.
Every figure above is sourced from Senate lobbying disclosure filings submitted under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995. Per-issue dollar splits and covered-position flags are filer-reported and may be amended after initial submission.
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Annual Lobbying Spend
Policy Issues
Government Entities Contacted
Recent Filings
| Period | Registrant | Issues | Lobbyists | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Oct-Dec | DLA Piper | TAXFIN | 1 | $768K |
| 2024 Jul-Sep | Cassidy & Associates | BANFINGOV | 2 | $794K |
| 2024 Apr-Jun | Fierce Government Relations | FINTAXBAN+1 | 3 | $642K |
| 2024 Jan-Mar | Capitol Counsel | BANTAX | 3 | $793K |
| 2023 Oct-Dec | Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck | BANTAXFIN+1 | 1 | $619K |
| 2023 Jul-Sep | Cornerstone Government Affairs | FINBANGOV | 4 | $650K |
| 2023 Apr-Jun | K&L Gates | GOVFINBAN | 1 | $610K |
| 2023 Jan-Mar | Invariant LLC | FINGOVTAX+1 | 3 | $543K |
Morgan Stanley Lobbying FAQ
Morgan Stanley has spent $12.3M on federal lobbying across 4 policy areas. This includes spending on registered lobbyists and direct government contacts.
Morgan Stanley lobbies on 4 policy issues, including Financial Institutions, Banking, Taxation, Government Issues. These disclosures are filed quarterly with the Senate Office of Public Records.
Morgan Stanley has an Influence Score of 48/100 (Grade C). This proprietary score is based on total lobby spend (40%), policy issue breadth (30%), and revolving door connections (30%).
Morgan Stanley employs 8 registered lobbyists, of whom 1 have revolving door connections, meaning they previously held government positions before becoming lobbyists.
Morgan Stanley has contacted 6 government entities as part of their lobbying activities, including Small Business Administration, U.S. Senate, Dept of Commerce.
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Lobbying data is sourced from quarterly Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) filings with the Senate Office of Public Records. Influence Scores combine total spend (40%), issue breadth (30%), and revolving door connections (30%). Filings may be amended after initial submission.